Against the backdrop of the vast pastures of the Gavoi plateau, protected by the trees surrounding the country church of Chiesa di Sa Itria di Gavoi, rises the Menhir Sa Perda Longa o de Sa Itria.
This imposing granite monolith stands over three meters tall, establishing itself as one of the most majestic menhirs in central Sardinia. Carefully worked by Neolithic communities to shape it, the large vertical block maintains a tapered silhouette that ideally connects the stone of the earth with the vastness of the sky.
The surface of the menhir, marked by millennia and covered by light veils of lichen, shows the expertise of those who sculpted it in this place of strong symbolic value. From an archaeological perspective, the stone represents a fundamental testimony to the island's earliest spiritual expressions. Its continuity over time is extraordinary: positioned a short distance from the church, the monolith recounts the layering of ancient rites and subsequent Christian devotion.
The surrounding context, dominated by open pastures, cork oaks, and the quiet of the rural sanctuary, provides a sensation of profound serenity. Standing next to Sa Perda Longa allows one to capture the most authentic soul of the Barbagia region, where the millennial memory of the stone coexists perfectly with the popular traditions that still animate the site today.
